Canadians a medal favourite despite choppy waters

Lindsay Jennerich and Tracy Cameron of Canada wins the Lightweight Women's Double Sculls Final during Day 3 of the 2011 Samsung World Rowing Cup III on Lucerne Rotsee on July 10, 2011 in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Photograph by: Christopher Lee
, Getty Images

Plan A was for Lindsay Jennerich and Tracy Cameron to finish the mission they started five years ago. That gave way to Plan B when Jennerich and Patricia Obee became teammates in the Canadian lightweight women's double but Plan C quickly followed when Cameron recovered from a rib injury.

Plan C, in fact, looked a lot like Plan A until Cameron abruptly announced her retirement from rowing less than two months before the London Olympics. So now the women's double are on Plan D which, in reality, is a modified version of Plan B.

"From the outside this might appear to be a really crazy thing," says the 29-year-old native of Victoria. "But I don't see that. In the last year and a half I think I've rowed with (Obee) a lot more than anyone else.

"I have a lot of confidence in what we're able to do."

Which is good because, in spite of everything the boat has been through, it's still considered a medal favourite for London. For Jennerich and Obee, that remains the goal and you can say this for the two women.

If they haven't been distracted by the events surrounding their boat, it's a safe bet they have their priorities in order.

"It can be a very simple equation," says Jennerich. "You just ask yourself, will this make me faster? If the answer is yes then you do it.

If the answer is no, then you don't. It can be that simple."

Except nothing seems simple with this boat.

Jennerich's long and complicated history with the lightweight double goes back 10 years when she began training in Victoria with Mike Spracklen, the coach of the Canadian men's eights in London and one of the most accomplished coaches in the history of rowing.

Spracklen and Jennerich quickly formed a bond.

"Lindsay inspires me," says the veteran coach. "She knows what she wants and goes for it. She doesn't let anything get in her way. That's why I back her."

The problem was the women's national team is centred in London and Jennerich resisted the efforts of Rowing Canada to have her relocate.

Jennerich and Cameron qualified the boat for the Beijing Games in 2007 but Jennerich would lose her seat to Melanie Kok. Cameron and Kok would win a bronze in China.

Spracklen, for his part, says politics played a role in the selection process in '08.

In the preparations for the London Games, Jennerich again refused to move to Ontario. This time Rowing Canada threatened to cut her funding. They would eventually relent and, this winter, Cameron, who had been sidelined with the rib injury, reclaimed her seat alongside Jennerich for the World Cup in Lucerne.

That's when more drama emerged.

In 2010, Jennerich and Cameron won gold at the world championship. In Lucerne, the dress rehearsal for the Olympics, they failed to make the final and finished eighth overall. That result started a renewed competition among Jennerich, Obee and Cameron before Cameron stunned the rowing world by announcing her retirement in mid-June.

"That was disappointing," said Peter Cookson, Rowing Canada's high-performance director. "We were fortunate we had a very good replacement (Obee) who could step into the boat. Each athlete has their reasons and their partnership (Jennerich and Cameron) wasn't working out."

As for the new team, they're not exactly new. Jennerich and Obee won silver at the 2011 world championships. They also trained together through the winter and both said they operated under the premise they could form the boat for London.

"We have to look at it that we took a month off instead of, we just got the boat," said Obee. "That makes it easier to keep the focus."

And that's a fulltime job with the double. Spracklen has worked extensively with Jennerich over the years but the boat's official coach is Kenny Wu."I was not allowed to be their coach, formally," said Spracklen, who has his own issues with Rowing Canada.

"It's a collaboration with Kenny and Mike," said Jennerich. "I don't have a problem saying that. Recognition should be put where it's due.

"I think everyone's played a role in building this boat. You can't credit any one person or athlete. It's all part of the quilt."

More on This Story

Story Tools

Lindsay Jennerich and Tracy Cameron of Canada wins the Lightweight Women's Double Sculls Final during Day 3 of the 2011 Samsung World Rowing Cup III on Lucerne Rotsee on July 10, 2011 in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.